Ghost Towns in South Dakota

Beyond the famous names lies a deeper map: South Dakota holds 95 documented ghost towns. Railroad towns, homestead settlements, and agricultural communities dot the Plains — many faded when the rails moved on or the dust settled. Standouts include Carbonate, Galena, Maitland, Mystic, Rochford, and dozens more.

The heaviest concentrations sit in Lawrence County, Pennington County, Custer County, where settlements rose — and fell — in quick succession. Among towns with verified conditions, you'll find 7 foundations only, 1 living historic sites. 8 towns are known to be publicly accessible — the rest require checking land ownership and access rules before you go.

Use the status and access filters below to narrow the list, or search for a specific town by name.